Azerbaijan, Baku, April 13 / Trend /
A military - industrial potential is rapidly growing in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said in his opening speech at the Cabinet`s meeting to discuss results of the socio-economic development in the first quarter 2011, Azerbaijani Presidential official website reported.
"I would like to emphasize this area as it is an industrial, but at the same time, a special sphere. Two goals are pursued here. First, we must strengthen Azerbaijan's military potential through the internal capabilities. The Defense Industry Ministry was created just to this end. On the other hand, this is a new industrial sphere. Thousands of new jobs have been opened, workers are paid high salaries and Azerbaijan produces modern military-industrial products. At present, Azerbaijan produces 430 items. Our goal is to build here work on the most modern technology. I want to emphasize the production of unmanned aircraft among them. This production sphere is characteristic of the most developed countries. Azerbaijan has set up production of unmanned aircraft at the highest level by using its own capabilities, and this would greatly enhance our military power," Aliyev said.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan plays a very positive role in strengthening security in the region.
"Azerbaijan is a stabilizing factor in the region. Our country pursues a successful policy in all aspects. Our position over the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is clear. The international law must be completely ensured. The UN Security Council's four resolutions must be unconditionally implemented. Just as, the UN Security Council's resolution on Libya is performed several hours later. I have expressed my opinion about it. I would like to reiterate that this is an injustice, it is double standards and this discrimination cannot be explained by any cause. Armenians perpetrated genocide against the Azerbaijanis. They committed the Khojaly genocide. Armenians brutally killed innocent people. For some reason, then the international community remained indifferent to our grief. The internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan is under occupation for many years. There were adopted four resolutions by the UN Security Council, a decision by the OSCE, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the Organization of Islamic Conference, NATO - all of these solutions require the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied land. But the question does not find a solution. At that time, the Azerbaijani citizens rightly ask the question: why we are treated differently? What reason for this? I address this question to the international community, countries benefiting from the authority in the international arena. Azerbaijan's territorial integrity must be restored, the occupation must come to its end, and this issue should be resolved soon, because the patience of the Azerbaijani people is not unlimited," he said.
"I would like to reiterate that Azerbaijan's position in the negotiation process is clear. This position is based on not only our wishes, but also on the international law, which still is the main criterion worldwide. Today, we witness that the international law grossly violated in various places. Therefore, Azerbaijan's territorial integrity must be restored and no conditions should be put forward," Aliyev said.
President Aliyev said the proposals on the negotiations table ensure the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. At the same time, the question can find a solution based on the principles that could provide habitation of people residing in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani citizens, who will surely return there, in the status of autonomy, self-government. I reiterate that the provision of independence to the Nagorno Karabakh now or ever is impossible. It is not and will never be the subject of the negotiations," the President stressed.
"In the first quarter the OSCE Assessment Mission visited the occupied territories in connection with this matter. This mission took place on our proposal. The Armenian side tried to object to it. As you know, a similar mission visited the occupied territories in 2005. It was a fact-finding mission. That is, it's so called.
Th e mission's main purpose was studying the situation in the occupied territories and preparing a report. I know that the Azerbaijani society has different views in regard to the mission's final report. Our society rightly expresses concern about the fact that the expressions in this report are not sharp enough.
But I want to stress that the mission's purpose and mandate were studying the situation and reflect in the report what they have seen. From this point of view, I believe that the issues in the report reflect the reality. I'd like to mention a few important issues reflected in the report. First, it openly says that the Armenians have destroyed the entire infrastructure in the occupied territories.
We already knew it. It was stated in 2005 and is stated this year, too. That is the mission with its own eyes saw the consequences of the Armenian vandalism. Our mosques, graves, all the infrastructure have been destroyed or looted. The second important milestone is that the report indicates that one cannot artificially change the administrative borders of the occupied regions. This requirement is directly addressed to Armenia. We are well aware that the so-called local authorities want to artificially change the borders of our regions on Armenia's order. In addition, the report called the change of historical and ancestral names of regions as an inadmissible fact. This claim is also addressed directly to Armenia, as they try to change the names of our cities, and besides them, nobody recognizes and will not recognize these new names," he said.
President Aliyev said the report includes a lot of similar issues. All of these issues in one or another form were also reflected in the previous report. Just it is once again confirmed. One of the major issues is that the report points to a policy of illegal settlement in the occupied territories. So, 14,000 cases of illegal settlement have been recorded, in the Lachin and Kalbajar regions - mostly in these two regions - that is 14,000 people reside there, who must not live there. They were resettled on the land later, which the report indicated as an inadmissible fact. Finally, the report indicates that the status quo, that is the current situation should not continue.
"I think this is one of the most important issues in the report, Azerbaijan has raised the issue that the status quo should be changed from all tribunes, in all international organizations, as well as during meetings with officials of co-chairing countries for many years," he said.
Aliyev said the Armenian side uses every opportunity to delay negotiations.
"I have informed Azerbaijani citizens also about it to some extent. The issues agreed on a certain stage again are put forward by them at the negation table, and they deviate from previously agreed issues. That is, they want this process to be interminable, permanent, eternal, so that these negotiations were constant, and as if Armenia is behaving constructively in the negotiations. Although we have repeatedly stated that Armenia is not sincere in the negotiations. They do not target resolving this issue. They aim to keep the occupied territories under control as long as possible and to turn de facto situation into de jure situation in the future. Their intentions are: the more time passes, the better it is, that is, the international community will accept the situation, and thus this situation, and the negotiation process will be endless. We have repeatedly raised the issue that it is impossible," Aliyev said.
President Aliyev said Azerbaijani will not attend the negotiations for imitation and for negotiations.
"This is our unequivocal opinion, and the status quo must be changed. All is well aware that what the status quo change means. This means that the occupying forces must be withdrawn from Azerbaijani territories. I think it is very important to reflect this point in the report. Azerbaijan's position is also supported by the OSCE co-chair countries. Unacceptability of the status quo is not voiced for the first time. Also senior officials of the co-chairing countries stressed it in their statements. If the status quo is changed - it must be surely changed - then, of course, the occupation forces will be withdrawn from the Azerbaijani territories, which are currently under the occupation, and it should happen soon. One should allow Armenia to delay the negotiations artificially, under certain pretexts. Armenia should specifically respond to concrete proposals to begin the liberation of our territories from the invaders. Thus, I would like Azerbaijani citizens to know my position, the position of the Azerbaijani state in connection with the report, and on the essence and content of the negotiations. I think that it is necessary," President Aliyev said.